Russian military police checked observation posts on the Golan heights in Syria

31 August 2020

 

A Russian military police unit conducted patrols and checked observation posts on the Golan heights in Quneitra province in Syria, the commander of the battalion of the military police, Aidenbach Abdullaev told reporters.

 

"We are at observation post number one, where the first platoon of my battalion performs the task.

 

Together with the military personnel of the Syrian Arab Republic, it performs the task of monitoring rocket attacks from Israel on the Bravo line.

 

Below this post there are the positions of Syrians and, accordingly, interaction between senior posts is organized," Abdulayev said.

 

The Golan heights remain disputed territory for Israel and Syria.Before the war in Syria, there was a demilitarized zone and there were UN troops, after the withdrawal of which the area was captured by militants. After the liberation of the lands of Quneitra province from the militants, the Russian military police remains here to guarantee security. From the posts placed on the heights, they watch for possible provocations by illegal armed groups and Israel. "Our task is to monitor the air enemy, move any flying objects - drones, quadrocopters, as well as planes and helicopters. In case of detection of any objects, immediately report immediately to Damascus, as well as to our leadership,"  the commander of one of the posts Anton Berdyugin said.

 

He noted that the presence of Russian and Syrian military personnel here was necessary, since various incidents periodically occur on the territory. "During my stay here - not very often, but according to my data, three attacks were registered. Two attacks by the Israeli state, at the moment the  situation is calm. One of the first attacks was a rocket attack on Damascus. Well, the rest of the strikes have already been carried out either from a large-caliber installation, or from a helicopter, or from an airplane," the post commander said. Below the Russian observation posts are the posts of the Syrian army.  The military of the two countries constantly interact. "Due to frequent visits here, the language barrier is being overcome in such a way that some of our personnel already speak Arabic, and they [the Syrian military] speak Russian," military police battalion commander Abdulayev said. In addition to constant monitoring, the Russian military decided to restore historical memory, in particular, they restored the T-34 tank, which was used during the war between Israel and Syria. Now it is installed as a monument near one of the posts of the Russian military police.

 

About the Golan heights

 

The Golan, which had belonged to Syria since 1944, was captured by Israel during the Six-day war in 1967, and then the Israeli Parliament passed the law "On the Golan heights", which unilaterally declared the sovereignty of the Jewish state over this territory. The annexation was declared illegal by the UN Security Council resolution, and then part of the Golan heights and the settlement of Quneitra were returned to Syria on the terms of demilitarization of this zone and the deployment of an international mission there. During the armed conflict in Syria, this territory temporarily came under the control of militants.

 

GSV "Russia - Islamic World"

Photo: AHMED MARDNLI / EPA / TASS

Based on materials from TASS